


Changes, Both Grand And Small

by afteriwake



Series: A Little Holmes [24]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-09 04:37:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1969344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Molly returns home from the hospital with the twins and both she and Sherlock are surprised by news from Mrs. Hudson regarding the home they all share.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Changes, Both Grand And Small

**Author's Note:**

> I promise, in apologies for writing such angsty fic I'm going to try my best to write lots and lots of fluff over the next few weeks. I might be internetless for a bit, but hopefully I can post a few of them a week so it's not, like, twenty stories at once. Anyway, this fic was inspired by an **imagineyourotp** prompt, even if they don't do it much ("Imagine your OTP looking down at their child sleeping for the first time in it’s crib. Not saying anything, just watching and smiling").

Molly had been unable to have visitors aside from Sherlock while she was recovering in the hospital, due to some new policies in place about patients recovering from surgery, and she hadn't wanted to let the twins out of her sight. They had almost told Sherlock he wasn't allowed to bring Abigail in but he had insisted since Abigail was the older sister to both babies and she was just as much family as he was. Molly was quite proud of the level of restraint he had showed. It had showed just how much he had changed since Abigail had entered his life. The hospital hadn't wanted to budge until the head of the hospital came in and said Abigail would absolutely be allowed to see her siblings. Molly suspected Sherlock had appealed to Mycroft for help, and if he had she was incredibly grateful.

Two days after the twins were delivered she was able to return home. She knew she was still going to be spending a lot of time in bed recovering from the surgery, but she would much rather do it in her own bed in her own home than in the hospital, and she had insisted on discharging herself and the twins. Sherlock had brought around the car and somehow they had managed to fit three car seats in the back. It was going to be quite tricky getting them all out, but she supposed they'd manage. They drove home and then Sherlock began getting all the children out as Molly let them into their home. Abigail headed inside first as Sherlock carried a car seat in each hand. “Those must be heavy,” she said as she stepped inside, turning back to look at him.

“You aren't carrying them in these car seats until you're done healing,” he said. “As it stands, I'm fine. There are bassinets for them in the sitting room so I don't have to carry them much farther.”

She nodded, slowly making her way up the stairs. She was still sore, and she couldn't wait to lie down again, but she wanted to get the babies settled first. Sherlock made his way up after her and set Rebecca and James down in front of the bassinets. They were both new bassinets, she realized. She was surprised about that, because the plan had been to use Abigail's when they thought they were just having Rebecca. “Sherlock?”

“Yes?” he asked, squatting down to unlatch James from his car seat.

“These are both new,” she said slowly.

“Yes. Greg accidentally broke Abigail's while they were trying to organize everything so he bought two of the same as way of apology. And when you go up to their room you'll see there are two new cribs as well. Those were a gift from Mary. They're similar but different.”

“But why aren't we using Abigail's crib for one of them?” she asked, slightly confused.

He was quiet. “I can't say.”

“Sherlock, tell me. Please?” she asked, not wanting him to be cryptic right now.

He looked up at her. “Mrs. Hudson gave it to John and Mary,” he said finally. “Mary found out she was pregnant yesterday. I wasn't supposed to tell you. They wanted to do it today.”

She smiled widely. “Oh, that's good news. I promise, I won't let on that I know until they tell me.” She watched as he got James out of his car seat and then put him in the bassinet. She moved over to her son and ran a knuckle down his cheek. He was sound asleep, as was Rebecca. She'd been quite lucky that they were usually asleep at the same time. She flicked her gaze back over to Rebecca as Sherlock got her out of her car seat and into the bassinet. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that her children were absolutely perfect. They had both inherited their father's curly hair, just like Abigail, and it looked as though it would remain dark. She hoped when they could finally tell what color eyes they had they would be the same mesmerizing shade as Sherlock's. She'd prefer that to her own dishwater brown hair and lackluster brown eyes.

Sherlock stood beside her and put an arm around her shoulders, looking down at them for a moment. He stayed quiet as she leaned her head against his shoulder, and after a few minutes he pulled away. “Abigail is being quiet,” he said with a hint of concern.

“Abigail?” she called out, turning to look around the room. There was a noise in the kitchen in response. She watched Sherlock take a few steps into the kitchen and then he knelt down near the sink. After a moment he stood with a giggling Abigail in his arms.

“Someone was trying to get into the cabinets,” he said with a smile. “She almost managed it, too.”

“This is going to pose problems once they start crawling,” Molly said as she shook her head. “I don't know how we're going to keep our sanity with a toddler and two infants.”

“We'll manage,” he said. Then he looked over at Abigail. “Are you hungry?”

She nodded. “Yes, Dada.”

“Then let's feed you, shall we?” She grinned at him and kissed his cheek as he carried her to her high chair. Molly moved over and joined them at the table after a moment, watching the scene with a smile on her face. Sherlock got the food and put it on the tray, letting Abigail feed herself. “For a brief time this part will be easy. She's more or less feeding herself with her fingers and the twins will be having bottles. Once they get to solids then the fun part begins.”

“At that point Abigail will probably be using silverware,” Molly said thoughtfully. “It's going to be quite strange dealing with the disparity in ages.” She shut her eyes after she said that, but only for a moment.

“Do you need to rest?” he asked, his voice sounding concerned.

She shook her head. “I'm just a smidge uncomfortable, that's all. And really, I want to enjoy being back home and being around all of you and _not_ being cooped up in a hospital bed.”

“Do you want to see the room the twins are going to use? John and the others decorated it. It isn't quite as nice as the girl's room, but I think James will like it when he can better appreciate it.”

“I'll go look,” she said, and she gingerly got up off her chair and headed towards the stairs. She walked past the room the girls were going to share eventually and opened the door to the room set aside for the twins. It was painted a cheery shade of blue, and someone who had a very high skill level had painted various nature related things on the walls. It wasn't as elaborate as the mural in the other room, but it was still quite pleasant to look at. Once Rebecca moved to the other room this could definitely be a room James could claim as his own. And for all they knew in a few years everyone would want something different. They could want three separate rooms, or the girls could want new paint on the walls to separate equal halves of the room or James might outright hate his and want something distinctly male. They would all just have to wait and see.

She moved into the room and looked at the cribs. They were both very similar, heavy wooden cribs like Abigail's had been, but they each looked as though they were meant for a boy or a girl. One had carvings of flowers in it and the other was just slightly plainer. She ran her hands along the one meant for James and smiled. They were a very wonderful gift. She would have to thank everyone for making this all happen so quickly. She had not expected quite so much to be done in two days.

After a few minutes she made her way back down to the sitting room. Sherlock was sitting at the table with Abigail, and when she looked over she saw Mrs. Hudson in the kitchen. “I see we have company,” she said with a smile as she got closer to the kitchen.

“I hope you don't mind, dear,” Mrs. Hudson said with a smile. “I heard Abigail as I was leaving to go to the market and I thought I'd say hello. It's good that you're home.”

“It's good to be home,” she said, going into the kitchen and giving the older woman a hug. “Have you seen the twins yet?”

Mrs. Hudson shook her head when she pulled away. “Not yet. I didn't think it would be right to see them without both of you here. I just thought I'd make some tea for all of us to enjoy.”

“Well, I would like to introduce you.”

“I can finish setting the tea up,” Sherlock said, getting up from his seat.

“All right,” Mrs. Hudson replied. Sherlock went into the kitchen while Molly and Mrs. Hudson moved past him. The two women walked over to the bassinets and the smile on Mrs. Hudson's face widened. “Oh, they're so lovely. They definitely seem to take after you, other than the curly hair.”

“I told her much the same thing,” Sherlock said as he plugged in the kettle. “I think it's preferable to them looking more like me.”

“Sherlock, hush. You are very attractive,” Molly said with a chuckle. “If they took after you I'd be pleased.”

“Then let's hope James takes after me and Rebecca takes after you,” he replied.

Molly shook her head and then turned back to Mrs. Hudson. “I apologize in advance for the increased noise levels at night. I thought one child would be hard enough, but I think two means sleepless nights for all of us.”

Mrs. Hudson shook her head. “It won't be that way for long,” she replied.

“They'll be infants for quite some time,” Sherlock said with a frown, moving over towards the two of them.

“Oh, that wasn't what I meant. It might be sleepless nights for the two of you and Abigail, but not for me.”

Molly's eyes went wide. “What do you mean, Mrs. Hudson?” she asked.

“I've thought about it for a few weeks now. My son wants me to live closer to him, and I don't think that's a bad idea. There is a lovely cottage in the village where he's at that I could outright with the money I will make from selling this home.”

“But...” Sherlock began, a look of shock evident on his face.

“Not to a stranger, dear, I promise,” Mrs. Hudson said soothingly. “This will be your family's home. When I made my decision I approached your brother about purchasing this home for the five of you, mostly because while I know that you could use Abigail’s money for it you shouldn’t have to. He's paying a tidy sum for it. And there will be no paying him rent to live here. He's purchasing it but you and Molly will own it outright. It's one of the stipulations to the sale, which he's agreed to. There's a lot of responsibility to owning a place like this that I don't want anymore. I love the both of you and Abigail dearly, but I think with six people here that's a bit much, even if I have my own part of the home.” 

“But this is your home,” Molly said.

“It is, and I will always love this place. But it's time it went to another family, and you're just the family I'd choose.” Sherlock moved next to Molly at that point and Mrs. Hudson looked at both of them with a warm smile on her face. “Don't either of you try talking me out of it, either. I know you said that this country would fall if I left 221B Baker Street, Sherlock, but it won't. If you left that would be another matter entirely. Eventually with all of us here you'd have considered leaving. This has been the only home Abigail has ever known, and I don't want her to leave it. I don't want any of you to leave it.”

“Oh, Mrs. Hudson,” Molly said, giving the woman another hug. “I don't know what to say.”

“I don't either,” Sherlock said. “But if your mind is set I won't attempt to talk you out of it.”

“I won't either,” Molly replied.

“Good. The deed will be transferred over in a few weeks, and in the meantime I'll pack my things, sort out what I want to take with me and what I think should stay here.” She pulled away from Molly and then patted her cheek before looking over at Sherlock. “It will all work out for the best. You'll see.”

He nodded and then a noise was heard from inside one of the bassinets. The three of them heard James whimper and begin to wake up. “I think we’re about to have both of them wake up,” he said as he glanced over to Rebecca, who was also starting to move about in her bassinet.

“May I hold him?” Mrs. Hudson asked.

“Of course,” Molly said. She moved to the other bassinet. “I’ll take Rebecca.”

“Before you pick them up, check to see if they’re wet,” Sherlock said. “If they aren’t I’ll make them each a bottle.”

“I had just thought they were hungry,” Molly said sheepishly, beginning to undress Rebecca.

“You’re a new mother. It’s expected,” Mrs. Hudson said with a chuckle as she began to do the same with James. “But Sherlock’s an old hat at this. Make him do most of the work.”

“I had planned on it for the next few weeks while Molly recovers,” Sherlock said with a faint smile as he shook his head. “But she’s a much less sound sleeper than I am. I won’t be surprised if she beats me to them most nights.”

“I may pretend to be asleep,” Molly said as she got Rebecca undressed and undid the nappy. “She’s dry.”

“He is too,” Mrs. Hudson replied.

“Then I’ll go prepare bottles while the two of you comfort them,” he said as Rebecca began to cry. “And I’ll do it quickly.”

Molly nodded and got Rebecca dressed again as James began to cry. “This is going to be hard,” she said as she picked Rebecca up out of the bassinet and cradled her daughter against her.

“As hard as it might be you’ll love every minute of it,” Mrs. Hudson said as she gave Molly a smile. She lifted James up a moment later. “You’ll see.”

Molly smiled back and then gazed down at her daughter, murmuring comforting words to her. Eventually she would get the hang of this, or at least she hoped she would. She really _really_ hoped she would. They deserved the best parents they could get, all three children, and she was bound and determined to be the best mum she could.


End file.
